Blue Rider Expressive Therapy

03/08/2026

Currently accepting new clients for telehealth EMDR therapy for trauma and anxiety- pm me call or text! Pls share if you have someone in your life who is struggling with trauma issues.

02/25/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/17mFPTczCS/?mibextid=wwXIfr

"A constricted nervous system cannot hold expectancy for something better. It’s physiologically impossible to expect something better when you haven’t normalized it yet in your body.

Sometimes we cannot imagine more than the struggle we've been through, so survival-mode becomes the norm as a protective mechanism; we settle for what feels familiar because familiarity is the closest thing we have to what we really need: safety.

If struggle happened early and repeatedly, struggle becomes normal. If love came with pain, drama becomes normal. If affection required proving, proving yourself becomes normal in search for love. And what feels normal will always find you."

—Jovanny Varela, excerpt from Gentle Reminder No 127: "What You Find Normal Will Find You: what happens when your body doesn't know how to say yes to good things in life."

This comes from my latest piece on one of the biggest blocks on the healing journey: the ability to receive.

If you are finally getting clarity on what you actually want, but still flinch when goodness/joy/peace shows up at your doorstep, I wrote this one for you 🫂❤️

Read the full piece: jovannyvarela.substack.com

Artwork by Elena Fiorenza Gatti

02/23/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/187qiM4Gw5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Scientists have uncovered a striking connection between mental health and infection by finding the hepatitis C virus in the brain lining of individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This discovery sheds new light on how viral infections might influence psychiatric conditions that have long puzzled researchers and doctors. Hepatitis C is typically known for damaging the liver, but new evidence shows it can cross the blood-brain barrier and hide in the meninges, the protective lining around the brain and spinal cord. Once inside, the virus may trigger chronic inflammation and disrupt key chemical pathways responsible for mood, cognition, and behavior. This ongoing inflammation could help explain why some patients experience mood swings, psychosis, or cognitive decline even when their liver shows no major damage. The study suggests that for a subset of people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, the origins of their symptoms might not be purely genetic or environmental but linked to a lingering viral infection. This raises the possibility that targeted antiviral treatments or early screening for hepatitis C could play a role in preventing or managing severe mental health conditions. While more research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms and whether eliminating the virus can improve psychiatric symptoms, these findings open a new chapter in the fight against mental illness. By viewing psychiatric disorders through the lens of infection and immune response, scientists are closer than ever to new therapies that could protect both the brain and mental well-being.

02/17/2026

https://www.threads.com/.foccus/post/DUz7wo5EYYL?xmt=AQF04oKypMLtTiFJ8NDa6ilfhVhRRkBqpFCTmQottReiXOHtheiL-Bd_gHcY5bm6IdxGkpx2&slof=1

02/12/2026

02/12/2026

Road Rage Biker Screams at Woman, Until a 2,000lb Bison Decides to Shut Him Up

A woman driving through a snowy rural road found herself on the receiving end of some serious road rage after she honked at a motorcyclist who cut her off. At the next red light, the rider turned around and began shouting, pointing, and flipping her off in a heated display. He was so focused on yelling that he didn't notice the massive, furry tank stepping out of the snowbank beside him.

In seconds, a bison charged forward, seemingly annoyed by the noise, and slammed its head into the bike, knocking it sideways and sending the rider scrambling for safety. The woman pulled over to check if he was okay, but when he stood up still yelling, she simply drove away. Police later confirmed that no charges were filed, no animals were harmed, and the bison "left the scene without giving a statement.

02/12/2026

Horse humour. :)

12/22/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ATkQoHJT7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐏

This is the teaching that transforms how you see emotional reactions.

Someone says something. You feel a sudden wave of anger, or shame, or defensiveness.

Your first instinct? Blame them. "They triggered me. They're the problem."

But here's the truth most people never discover:

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

They're showing you exactly where your frequency is stuck, where your wounds need healing, where your power is waiting to be reclaimed.

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑?

A trigger is an external event that activates an internal wound.

It's not the event itself that causes your reaction—it's the unhealed pattern the event touches.

Think of it like this:

If you have a physical wound on your arm and someone bumps into you, the bump hurts. But the bump didn't create the wound. It just revealed where you're already injured.

𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬.

The person didn't create your wound. They just showed you where it is.

𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐒:

Without triggers, you'd never know where your frequency is blocked.

You could do affirmations, visualizations, and manifestation work for years—but if you have an unhealed wound broadcasting a contradictory frequency, you'll keep hitting the same ceiling.

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐠.

They're not obstacles. They're treasure maps.

The wound is the location. The healing is the treasure.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒:

𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝟏: 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬

These come from your own life experiences.

Examples:
→ Criticism triggers shame (wound: "I'm not good enough")
→ Rejection triggers panic (wound: "I'm unlovable")
→ Success triggers anxiety (wound: "I don't deserve good things")
→ Boundaries trigger guilt (wound: "My needs don't matter")

Where they come from: Childhood experiences, past relationships, specific traumas.

𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝟐: 𝐈𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬

These come from your lineage—patterns passed down through generations.

Examples:
→ Money triggers hypervigilance (inherited: scarcity from ancestors)
→ Authority triggers rebellion (inherited: oppression trauma)
→ Success triggers sabotage (inherited: "We don't rise above our station")
→ Visibility triggers fear (inherited: "Being seen is dangerous")

Where they come from: Epigenetic inheritance from grandparents, great-grandparents, ancestral trauma.

These feel "older than you"—like emotions that don't quite belong to your life experiences.

𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝟑: 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬

These reveal qualities you've disowned or suppressed.

Examples:
→ Someone's confidence triggers irritation (shadow: your suppressed power)
→ Someone's freedom triggers judgment (shadow: your suppressed desire for freedom)
→ Someone's self-expression triggers criticism (shadow: your suppressed authenticity)
→ Someone's success triggers resentment (shadow: your suppressed ambition)

Where they come from: Parts of yourself you learned were "bad" or "unacceptable" and pushed into the shadow.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑-𝐓𝐎-𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒:

How to turn triggers into transformation:

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏: 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

When you feel triggered, pause.

Notice:
→ What emotion arose? (anger, shame, fear, defensiveness)
→ Where do you feel it in your body? (chest, throat, stomach, shoulders)
→ How intense is it on a scale of 1-10?

Don't judge it. Don't suppress it. Just witness it.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐: 𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

"What wound is this touching?"

Be specific:
→ "I feel shame. The wound: I learned my worth depends on achievement."
→ "I feel panic. The wound: I learned I'm only safe when I'm in control."
→ "I feel rage. The wound: I learned my voice doesn't matter."

The trigger is the symptom. The wound is the root.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧

Ask: "When did I first learn this?"

Often, you'll remember:
→ A specific childhood moment
→ A pattern in your family
→ Something a parent/teacher/authority said
→ An experience that taught you this belief

If it feels "older than you," it's likely inherited. Ask: "Who in my lineage carried this wound?"

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟒: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭

Hand on heart. Say:

"That was true then. It is not true now. I am safe now. I am worthy now. I am allowed to heal this now."

This creates separation between the original wound and the present moment.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟓: 𝐑𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲

Replace the wounded frequency with truth:

𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: "My worth depends on achievement"
𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: "I am worthy simply because I exist"

𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: "I'm only safe when I'm in control"
𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: "I am safe even when I surrender"

𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: "My voice doesn't matter"
𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: "My voice is powerful and necessary"

Breathe the new frequency into your body for 2 minutes.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟔: 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫

Yes, thank it.

The trigger showed you where you're wounded. The wound showed you where your power is trapped.

Say: "Thank you for showing me what needs healing. This is a gift."

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐅𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃:

Here's the paradox: Your greatest limitation often holds your greatest gift.

When you heal the wound, you don't just remove the block—you reclaim the power that was trapped there.

Examples:

𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝: Hypervigilance from survival trauma
𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭: Extraordinary pattern recognition and intuition

𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝: People-pleasing from worthiness wound
𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭: Deep empathy and ability to read people's needs

𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝: Perfectionism from shame
𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭: Excellence and attention to detail

𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝: Control from safety trauma
𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭: Powerful manifestation and leadership

The wound isn't the problem. The wound trying to protect you through limitation is the problem.

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇:

The goal isn't to never be triggered.

The goal is to see every trigger as information, every wound as an invitation, every reaction as a roadmap.

When you stop seeing triggers as attacks and start seeing them as treasure maps, everything changes.

You stop blaming others for your reactions.

You stop avoiding situations that might trigger you.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.

The wound is the location.

The healing is the treasure.

The trigger is the map.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: From trigger to treasure—the proven protocols that heal personal wounds, clear inherited trauma, and rewire your frequency at the cellular level. (Free Chapter Available in Our Profile Description)

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲.

—G.S

11/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EjiAmXBKj/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Negative words linger longer than positive.

Your brain has a remarkable memory for negative experiences. Studies reveal that insults or harsh criticisms can be remembered for up to 20 years, while compliments and positive feedback are often forgotten within just 30 days. This imbalance is rooted in our evolutionary biology, where the brain prioritizes threats and harmful information to help ensure survival.

When we experience criticism or insults, the amygdala—the brain’s emotional center—activates strongly, encoding these events deeply into long-term memory. This heightened encoding ensures that the brain remembers potentially harmful social interactions, making it more likely to avoid similar threats in the future. Positive experiences, on the other hand, tend to trigger weaker neural pathways, which are easier to forget over time.

The implications are significant for mental health and relationships. Negative comments can have a lasting impact on self-esteem, stress levels, and emotional well-being. Conversely, the fleeting memory of compliments may mean that positive reinforcement has less enduring influence unless it is repeated consistently. Understanding this pattern can help individuals and organizations emphasize consistent encouragement to counterbalance the weight of negative experiences.

Experts suggest strategies to strengthen the memory of positive feedback. Journaling, repeating compliments, and mindfulness practices can help reinforce positive experiences in long-term memory. Building awareness of this cognitive bias allows people to focus on gratitude, resilience, and self-compassion.

This research underscores the brain’s inherent tendency to remember negativity far longer than positivity. By understanding these mechanisms, we can actively cultivate habits and environments that amplify positive experiences, ensuring that praise and encouragement leave a more lasting mark than insults ever could.

11/05/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/16KVx6RyUB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

A psychologist discovered that adding just one simple word to the phrase “I can’t” can completely change how your brain responds to challenges. When you say “I can’t,” your subconscious mind accepts defeat—it signals to the brain that the task is impossible and shuts down problem-solving areas in the prefrontal cortex. But when you add one word—“yet”—everything changes.

Saying “I can’t do this yet” keeps the brain engaged. It activates what psychologists call a growth mindset, a belief that ability and intelligence can develop with effort and time. This small linguistic shift encourages persistence, rewires neural pathways for learning, and boosts motivation. The word “yet” tells your brain there’s still potential, keeping you focused on progress rather than failure.

Neuroscientific research supports this: people who adopt a growth mindset show higher levels of dopamine when facing challenges, helping them stay motivated even when things get tough. It’s one of the simplest yet most powerful mental reprogramming techniques in psychology.

Next time you hear yourself say “I can’t,” pause and add “yet.” You’re not just changing your sentence—you’re changing your brain.